Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today said that Tel Aviv will withdraw from the UN's cultural and education body after the United States announced that it is withdrawing from the UNESCO.

In a statement issued here, Netanyahu's office said that the PM “welcomes the decision by President (Donald) Trump to withdraw from UNESCO. This is a courageous and moral decision because UNESCO has become the theatre of the absurd and because instead of preserving history it distorts it."

"The Prime Minister instructed the foreign ministry to prepare Israel's withdrawal from the organisation alongside the United States," the statement said as it accused.

The US State Department said that Washington will pull out from the UN body, in part due to "continuing anti-Israel bias".

Israel has long been at loggerheads with UNESCO, particularly over its decision to admit the Palestinians as members in 2011.

UNESCO, known for its designation of world heritage sites, is a global development agency with missions that include promoting sex education, literacy, clean water and equality for women.